Gun-sight protector.



urartsma 33-244. OR 9589655 SR w. LANGSTROTH. GUN SIGHT PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 1909.

958,655. 5 5 Patented May 17,1910.

WALTER LANGSTROTH, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GUN-SIGHT PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 5, 1909.

Patented May 17, 1910.

Serial No. 511,468.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER LANGSTROTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gun-Sight Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shields for protecting the rear sights of firearms. The rear sight now used on the rifle adopted by the United States, is provided with movable parts to be adjusted with great accuracy, for elevation and windage; and the quick handling to which the rifle is necessarily sub jected, especially in the cavalry service, is liable to hit and injure these movable parts of the sight, thus rendering it always uncertain whether the sight can be relied on without examination and test. For sharpshooters and for target practice, it is found advantageous to smoke the sight in order to prevent reflection of lights which not only distract the eye of the rifleman but actually divert his line of si ht.

Therefore, the ob ect of this invention is, not only to guard the sight against actual injury, but to so completely cover it that, when not in service, the rifle may be quickly handled with safety.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts forming a gun sight protector hereinafter more fully described, and particularly stated in the claim, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a gun, showing my sight protector in service. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3, is a front end view of the protector. Fig. 4, is a side view of the gun sight, showing the protector in longitudinal, vertical section. Fig. 5, shows the shape of a sheet metal blank which, when bent into form, constitutes the body of this protector.

Referring to the drawings, a 64 represent portions of the wooden stock of a gun, and b, the barrel, having projecting lugs c, which are grooved in their adjacent sides to receive the ends of the base piece 03, of the gun sight. This base piece is pivoted at e, to swing a little from side to side to compensate for windage; and f is a tangent worm screw for operating it. A frame 9, is pivoted at h, to the base piece, to be swung into a vertical position, and z is the sight-carrying bar,

fitted to slide up and down on the frame 9. This bar is provided with a binding screw is,

which may lock it at any desired oint, to the frame 9. Thus far I have escribed only what is common.

Numeral 1, represents the body of the protector as made of sheet metal. It is shaped as a cap, with sides 2, to fit closely down beside the body of the sight; the forward end 3, being hooked under and forming a pocket to receive the forward end of the frame 9, and the rear end 4, is curved to fit down upon the sight body at 5. The curve of this end is particularly designed to avoid catching onto anything when being withdrawn from a sheath or holster. In the sides 2, are L-shaped notches 6, to receive the crossbar 2', and this bar may be pushed forward over the retaining L of the notch, then the binding screw is, may be turned home to hold the protector rigidly clamped to the raisable frame of the sight. To prevent the sight being raised with the cover, I provide two extensions of the sides in the form of prongs 8, to hook under the projecting ends of the tangent screw f. To fit the form of the barrel, these prongs are bent to flare sidewise a little. In making this protector, a blank is first punched into the form shown in Fig. 5; then the sides and ends are bent at the dotted lines 9, and the corners are secured by brazing. The rear ends of the sides are formed in ogee curves at 10, in order to shape the neatly rounded corner 12; and because that if made with a single outward curve as shown by dotted line 11, the point of a die which would punch the sharp angle 13, would be quickly broken away in service. In applying this protector to the sight, the forward end of the protector is to be placed over and hooked under the forward end of the frame 9; then, by carrying the rear end of the protector down upon the sight, the pron 's 8, will become hooked under the screw f. llow if the sight bar 2', be pushed forward it will engage the retaining L and by turning the clamping screw is, the protector will be rigidly locked in place. Thus locked, the protector becomes like a rigid portion of the gun, preventing anything from coming in contact with the sight, either to catch hold of its corners, or to deface it when smoked and waiting for target practice.

If a sight protector were made by casting,

drop forging, or any other mechanical prochook under side projections of the sight, the 10 ess, into the form descrlbed, it would stlll be said prongs flaring outward to fit the gun. comprised in my invention as set forth in In testimony whereof I afiix my signature th%fol lowinlg claaim. b d I in presence of two Witnesses. "i

5 avlng t us escrl e my invention 5;

c1 aim "WALTER LANGSTROTH. X

In gun sight protectors, a cap having Witnesses: 1 sides to pass down beside the sight, these H. O. THOMPSON,

sides having forward projecting prongs to G. J 0s. PARKINsoN. 

